Sunspots of A Cheerful Mind
by Chuchi Otaku
Summary: "'S not like I knew my mind could do that, have many versions of me running around." Or does he? After the Journey to Center of Mikey's Mind, where there's far more going on in his head that Mikey was willing to let on. Part Two of the Orange is the Sun series.


Inspired by some of the comments I've read from my first fanfic.

A post Journey to the Center of Mikey's Mind AU, but in a way, ties in to the Dark Side of the Sun.

* * *

 **Sunspots of A Cheerful Mind**

 **Universe: 2012, AU-ish after The Journey to the Center of Mikey's Mind**

 **Pairings: None**

 **Warnings: Mild language**

* * *

" _Sometimes, it's easier to pretend that you're happy rather than explain why you're not." -Anonymous_

"Are you sure you're OK, Mikey?"

It was after my brothers and I got the schema-things back from that double crossing Belebome. There was a party and a pizza with my name—fine, _our names—_ on it back on the ship, so obviously everyone made sure to have a grand time. Even Fugitoid joined in on the party that lasted all night long, which was saying something.

Everyone's pretty much on cloud nine even after the party ended, and we all went to our separate rooms for some well-earned shut eye. With the schema-stuff, we're one step closer on getting the pieces of that Black Hole Generator and making sure that the Triceratons will never get their hands on it to destroy the Earth.

"'Course I am, Donnie." I flashed my best grin at my best friend-slash-big brother. "We just kicked some major bad guy butt, yo, and one step closer to saving the Earth! Kinda hard to top that!"

The smile on Donnie's face was too small for my liking. "I know, I know. It's just that…after what happened with the Neutrinos…"

I paused for a second to school my features correctly. "You worry too much, D. I just told you guys, I'm fine. No headaches or pains whatsoever. You kept Ki—little me safe from those things, so we're all good."

"I can't help but worry. We did get deep into your psyche after all. Can't really not consider Leo, Raph and I not doing anything permanently damaging or anything with the mess we made." Donnie eyed me again. "Can't blame a brother for making sure, can you?"

The way my face lit up at Donnie's concern was genuine. It always warmed this adorable turtle's heart to know that his bros did care. Donnie may tend to yell and freak out more often than not, but only because he tended to worry so much. I'm just glad a bit of that is directed at me every now and then.

I slung an arm around my taller brother's shoulder. "Far as I can tell, D, you kicked the Neutrinos out of my head before there's been any real damage done. But I promise if I feel that anything's wrong, I'll come straight to you. Deal?"

Donnie shook his head, his smile finally the right size, and bumped fists with me. "You make good on that deal, little brother."

"All good in the hood, Don—"

"Yo Mikey, Donnie!" Raph hollered three feet away from us, Leo right behind him. "You two having a family meeting and leaving us out or something?"

"Aww, no need to get jealous, Raphie." I winked while Donnie rolled his eyes from the side. "It's not like Donnie and I were planning a super prank on you or anything—"

"Which we were not." Donnie interrupted, smirking at me. "At the very least, _I'm_ certainly not."

"Oh that's just cold, dude!"

"Whatever it is, it will have to wait." Leo said in his usual I-am-the-leader-and-you-will-obey-me voice. "It's already late and we still need to get up for training tomorrow."

"Oh come on, bro!" I whined after Raph's loud protest and Donnie's low groan. "We just got back from kicking major bad guy butt. Can't we have like a day off or something?"

"All the more reason we need to pick up on our training. We can't let anyone catch us off guard again." I could have sworn Raph just muttered "Splinter Jr." from the side. Either Leo didn't catch it, or ignored it like the usual. "Besides, the stronger we are, the sooner we can finish finding all the pieces of the generator and the sooner we can get back home."

To Sensei.

The unspoken but heard all just the same words dampened the mood a bit, enough to remind us of the seriousness of the situation. Enough for me to nod my head in acceptance. This was more than just an adventure in space. We all knew that.

I jumped when I felt a hand on my head, looked up to see eyes shades bluer than my own.

"You did good today, Mikey." Leo said warmly, enough for me to see the big brother behind the leader. I couldn't help but smile again. "Thanks, Leo."

"Well you heard him." Raph made a show of stretching and yawning. "Gotta say I'm beat. Angry Mikey gave me one hell of a workout."

Angry Mikey…speaking of him…

"Uh guys?"

All heads swiveled at me, and I can't help but feel self-conscious. "When you were there in my head, other than angry me and little me, who else did you see?"

Donnie blinked at the question, the worry I had tried to stamp out of him visibly returning with a vengeance. I hate to do it, but I really, really needed to know. "Versions of you, let me think…there was Turflytle Mikey, the Glutto—err, greedy about food Mikey," Donnie amended when I obviously didn't get the glut-something word. "and the Weird Mikey. That's about it, I think. Why'd you ask?"

I shrugged easily and waved Donnie's concern away. "Nah, I was just curious. 'S not like I knew my mind could do that, have many versions of me running around. That sounds awesome! Except maybe for the glupaty side. Man, I don't wanna get THAT huge!"

"That's gluttony." Donnie corrected while Raph rolled his eyes. "Yeah, good luck with that with your pizza chowing track record."

"Hey!" I mock pouted at Raph, who gave me a head slap in return. "OW!"

"Good night, little brother." Raph said cheekily with a wave. Leo sighed tiredly before nodding at me and Donnie. "See you in the morning."

"Night bros!" I waved back at my two oldest brothers before elbowing Donnie. "You heard the leader, D. And before you ask," I added when Donnie looked like he was going to ask. "I'm fine. I promise."

Donnie closed his mouth again with a sigh. "I'll take your word for it, I guess. Good night, Mikey."

I gave Donnie one last thumbs up before making my way to my room, smiles alit for everyone to see until I was safe behind the steel door.

Then and only then did my mask come off.

I slid down the door, suddenly feeling too heavy with relief that my legs couldn't hold me up.

I'm sorry, D. I thought, genuinely sad about the several lies I had to spout. Because I knew that if I let slip that there was more—that I knew more—than I let on, Donnie wouldn't stop prying, probably will end up dragging Leo and Raph into it in the process.

And then they'll know about the rest. Which is the last thing I want.

So thank God. Thank God and anyone else out there listening that those versions of me were the only ones my brothers did see.

Oh, and I need to thank them too.

I slid my legs to a _seizan_ position and took a deep breath.

* * *

 _ **Lie: 'S not like I knew my mind could do that, have many versions of me running around.**_

As always, the first place I get to in my mind is my safe haven.

I had to smile at the sight of my Imagination land. The place was my secret blank canvas, something I discovered during one of the earlier mediation sessions with Sensei and the others. When I first got here, Imagination land looked exactly like the dojo, except for the fact that it was devoid of my family. And at the time, the only one there was my mirror image with a shiny crown on its head.

I soon learned that Imagination land never stayed the same after each visit. Sometimes it would be a part of the Lair. Other times it would be my idea of a place in one of my comics. Lately, Imagination land would turn into a place I've been to recently, like Murakami's Gyoza place or the Ulixes.

I wonder what place Imagination land turned into for my bros. I guess I could always ask…

"Hey, me!"

"Hey, King Baby." I traded a high five at the little version of me—Little Mikey as my brothers called him— who remained unchanged in the middle of my constantly morphing Imagination land. This time, the place turned into a Japanese garden of sorts, surrounded by bamboo and trees. King Baby and I were in the middle, a hill of grass and lowers cut in the middle by a stream.

"Figured you need something a little more relaxing after those Neutrinos." King Baby said, propping his king hat back up with his scepter.

"You always know what to do, baby me."

"Duh, I _am_ you." King Baby winked playfully before dropping his voice. "So I also know why you're here."

"Sure you do." I nodded with a small smile. "But I got time. Just wanna say thanks, you know, for taking care of our bros while they were here."

"Nah, they helped me as much too. I wouldn't have been able to turn the tables around if they didn't remind me what I can do in this place. Had so much to think about at the time that I kind of forgot."

"No worries there." I reassured him. "You did great holding the fort here."

King Baby beamed. "You should have seen Imagination Land when they arrived. It was like a cartoon land with hills and flowers and a throne of pizza boxes! I made a throne of pizza boxes! And Bradford was serving me pizza!"

"Sweet!"

"Anyway, it's nice talking to you and all, but we both know we gotta go." My smaller version said, his eyeridges furrowing. I could only nod as I followed him through the garden, careful to avoid stepping on the flowers on our way to the cobble stone path.

As we went on, I noticed my other sides lounging about in the garden. The ones my brothers encountered in my mind. I gave each of them a wave. "Yo Turflytle, Oddball, Pizzadude!"

"Hey, Mikey!" They greeted back. Turflytle, the small funny side of me, flew over and stood on my shoulder. "Yo Bossman Mikey, buzz buzz. What brings you here?"

"To thank you guys for helping my bros out, and kicking the Neutrinos out of my head. Thanks for not letting them get too lost."

Pizzadude, the tubby me who always has his hands full of something to eat, pouted. "Leo didn't give me food."

"You already have like what," I glanced to the empty cartons beside him. "Ten pizzas?"

"Thirteen." He pointed at the boxes he was using as a seat. "But it's not enooooough!"

I had to laugh at that. Pizzadude was funny in his own, I won't trade it for anything kind of way. "I feel you there, dude. I feel you."

"Dierw mi skniht eh dias enniod." Oddball said with a goofy smile and a twist of his head, so I know he's actually happy with that. He was currently standing near the stream, doing his version of the moonwalk. "Nuf saw hpar gnisahc draugna. toof sih rednu hpar hsurc mih was."

If I were anyone else, Oddball would have had me confused as heck. But I get Oddball like the back of my hand. "Man, I wish I could have seen that! Raph complained about it earlier too, y'know! And speaking of…"

"He's over by the exit, buzz buzz." Turflytle said over my shoulder while Oddball tilted his head. "Restef ees ot ffo?"

"Thanks, Turflytle and yes, Oddball." King Baby answered for me. "We'd best be off though." The little guy met my eyes. "He knows we're on the way."

"Oooh…" Pizzadude said over a mouthful of jellybean, mushroom and anchovy pizza (Seriously, where the heck is he getting all that pizza?) "You better be careful, boss. From what we've heard, he's raving pissed."

"Raving pissed would be an understatement, buzz buzz."

I winced at the thought. "Was the damage _that_ bad?"

King Baby looked down. "I might have led the Neutrinos in a chase, and I didn't expect for them to have big laser guns."

"Eh, no wonder he's mad." Might as well get it over with, I thought. "Thanks for the heads up, guys."

"Bye, boss!"

"Sedud retal!"

Turflytle held out a hand for a high five, which I returned with a finger. "Watch yourself out there, buzz buzz."

I gave the three a last salute before following King Baby deeper into the garden. "I didn't expect to see the three of them together."

"They know you want to thank them, so they made it easier for you. Especially since they know where we're going and it wouldn't help if we wasted our time looking for all of them. That would take like forever, yo. And we don't have that." King Baby said lightly. "Hey, look we're here. There's Anguard!"

I broke away from my thoughts to see the giant version of myself, leaning against the a wall made of grass, trees and sky, looming over me and King Baby. Anguard's arms were crossed, his lips tugged down and his eyes narrow and white, but I knew he wasn't angry. At least, not at me.

"Hi, Anguard." I greeted with a big smile. "Thanks for holding the fort along with the others, by they way. Wouldn't be fine and dandy again without you."

"It's my job." Anguard nodded over his crossed arms. "Didn't let 'em get past the Curtain. Led our bros straight to Imagination land."

"So I've been told. Huge thanks for that too. Sooo, can we pass? I really wanna see—"

"We know. But don't say I didn't warn you, beyond here's kinda messy. And someone's stressed out 'cause of it."

"Yeah, I've been warned. Where is he?"

Anguard pitched forward, releasing his arms then pulled at thin air with one hand. Like magic, the air he grasped turned into fabric, a curtain to a dark beyond.

Exactly where I'm supposed to go.

"Thanks, Anguard!" King Baby waved both his arms up at our giant counterpart.

Anguard smiled at both of us then jerked his head. "In you go."

I gave the big guy a thumbs up, and myself a big gulp.

Here goes nothing.

* * *

 _ **Lie: Far as I can tell, you kicked the Neutrinos out of my head before there's been any real damage done.**_

The cool air and the pleasant bird song in Imagination land vanished in a pop as soon as Anguard dropped the curtain. And here, I can see exactly what damaged the Neutrinos caused in my mind.

There were veins, glowing and inky black, stretching across the red walls of the dimly lit emptiness. Some of the black veins were already crusted scabs, but there were too many that were still throbbing, humming with some kind of energy, gaping black holes.

No wonder they hurt. In the real world, I can sense the tears and the burns in my mind like migraines with a specific kind of pain attached to them. I tried not to show it, but every now and then, a throb would come at me and I had to bite my inner cheek to keep a lid on the pain. I'm just grateful that I haven't had a full blow seizure.

And I also know that the rest of my selves are busy working to help, like King Baby just said, since I can feel the pains gradually fading into something tolerable enough for me to forget.

King Baby looked at the cracks in near tears. "I'm sorry, Mikey. It's my fault this happened."

"No, don't blame yourself, King Baby." I gave my younger self a pat on the shoulder. "It's no one's fault but those stupid Neutrinos. But at least we took care of them now. We just gotta do damage control."

" _ **You mean,**_ _ **I** __**have to do damage control."**_

The agitated voice echoed in the hallway so suddenly that it made King Baby jump and hide behind me.

I took in a breath. "Come on out, Fester."

There was a chuckle, sounding similar to grinding stone, and there he was.

Fester was the second side of me that I've met, not long after King Baby, but even after all this time he still makes my insides squirm. Fester, like the rest of them, looks just like me, only different.

Way different.

He was thin, gangling, close to skeleton like, my freckled green skin stretched taut all over the body, scratched plastron and shell, sunken cheekbones and hollow black eyes. All over him were deep sword slashes, puncture holes and bruises, gaping and never healing.

Oh and he always shows up hanging, from the red walls, as if he was in the middle of breaking through but never managing to push more than just half his upper torso out. The rest of him—his right arm, the lower half—remained fixed, melted, on the flexible blood colored sea.

" _ **If you want something, make it quick."**_ Fester hissed at me with black slit eyes. _**"Unlike the snot nosed brat there, I have a lot to do."**_

King Baby whimpered from behind me, but I didn't dare risk looking away from Fester for a second. Because as much as Fester is a part of me, I also know that he wouldn't hesitate to hurt me if he thinks he needs to. "Geez, I drop by here to say thanks and you're acting like a sourpuss."

" _ **And shouldn't I be? Your stupid run-in with the Neutrinos caused all this damage and I have to deal with it."**_ Fester gestured to the throbbing black webs. _**"And I had to stand with having those three running around MY turf and ruining it! I would have been able to deal with Neutrinos on my own, thank you very much, but your pathetic brothers and your knowing nothing friends just had to interfere and throw their piss all over the place!"**_

"Will you please stop swearing? You sound worse than Raph!" I scowled. "And just to remind you, they're your brothers too, you know!"

Fester however merely huffed. _**"I'll believe it when I feel it."**_

" _ **Is that Mikey?"**_

Snorting, sobbing and gurgling. Oh Lord this could be bad, but I did smile slightly at the newcomer. "Hey, Sniffles."

Like Fester, Sniffles is part of the red curtain. Unlike Fester, he can push past the red only his neck and face, with chains wrapped around the head and neck securing him to the wall.

Like Fester, Sniffles' face is thin and gaunt. Unlike Fester, he had my baby blue eyes, but under them were black tar marks trailing down the cheeks to the bottom of the neck.

Fester hissed and waved his free hand threateningly at Sniffles. _**"What the hell are you doing out here? Get your sooty, sorry face back in the Curtain!"**_

Did I mention that Fester absolutely hates Sniffles? Not gonna lie though, Sniffles makes me feel way more uneasy than Fester. He came from beyond the Curtain, for one.

" _ **But I want to see Mikey. It's been so long since he's last been here."**_ Sniffles turned his black stained eyes to me. _**"So how are you, Mikey? Our brothers being mean to you again?"**_

"Eh, no. Just checking to see how you all are, after what happened yesterday."

" _ **Oh that. Well, Fester was going to kick them out of here, along with King Baby. Oh, hi, King Baby. Love the king hat."**_ Sniffles nodded to King Baby who gave a wave back. _**"But then our brothers came along and he had to fall back and keep the Curtain closed."**_

" _ **Because you and the other dumbos behind me want to join in and mess with them."**_ Fester growled. _**"Much as I want to, because trust me all of them, especially that loose spiky lips Raphael, deserves a wicked scare. But…"**_ Here Fester glared at me. _**"The big softy here won't let me."**_

"We've already talked about this."

" _ **You think you can keep all this back here for long? You're not that stupid! You never were and yet you're making them think you are. And for what? For something like this?!"**_ Fester dragged the whole red wall down so he can be right at my face. _**"Look around you, Michelangelo. The Curtain is messed up! Sure, I'M fixing it, but with one slip, just one little bit, from your so-called brothers and friends, and one of the tears here could burst apart with a vengeance. And you know exactly what filth lies beyond this piece of work!"**_

I gulped but kept my eyes steady on Fester, even if having those black eyes so close was starting to freak me out. "I…I know..."

" _ **You KNOW it, but you don't GET it! Because one day, we won't be enough. One day, all the shit in here is going to burst and all we can do is hold on for the joyride! You can hear them, can't you? Even while you're here you can see. And when the time comes they overwhelm you, it will not be pretty for anybody."**_

He did not just mention the—oh shit!

" _Michelangelo, you need to focus. Harder." Sigh. "Why can't you be more like your brothers?"_

" _Me? Why does he have to go with me? I don't want him!" "Don't look at me. I'm not taking him."_

" _Why don't we ever follow my plans?" "Because they're your plans!"_

" _You're such a screw up!"_

The words and images flashed as if cued. My throat went dry. "I…I…"

But Sniffles suddenly burst out crying before I could speak. _**"It's terrible! It's terrible! Why do they hate me? Why don't they just leave me behind if I'm that bad a burden? But, no! Don't leave me! I can't do it alone! I can't!"**_

Ah crud. This is why I wish he didn't show up right now. As if Fester wasn't pissed enough! "Sniffles, calm down—"

No good, Sniffles is on a downer roll. _**"I'm sorry I'm worthless. I'm sorry I can't do anything right. Maybe it's better if I'm dead. Yeah, I should be dead. Gutted like a fish. A rotten fish. Cut the guts, spill insides. Black filthy rotten blood. You deserve to die, rotten Michelangelo. Rotten. Worthless. Rotten—"**_

" _You're dragging the team down!"_

" _Some loser."_

" _Screw up!"_

" _ **Die. Die! Why can I just go fucking die? DIE! DIE, WORHTLESS MICHELANGELO! DIE—!"**_

" _ **GET THE FUCK BACK!"**_

I heard Fester dart quickly to the side, I guess at wherever Sniffles was, but I couldn't see. I was on my knees, my hands over my ears, trying to block the voices out. Squeezing my eyes shut so I couldn't see the faces.

God, no. Was it—is it already this bad? I know I've been having the headaches, but I didn't think—!

"—key! Mikey!" Small hands pulled and pushed at my shoulders persistently, slowly working to push the voices and faces back. "They're not real! They're not real, you gotta fight them. Come on, Mikey!"

"K—King Baby?" I mumbled by the time I blearily opened my eyes, to see Fester pushing a screaming and crying Sniffles deep into the Curtain. Sniffles' screams were growing steadily faint, until completely consumed by the curtain, but they stuck like glue.

Die. Die. Die worthless Michelangelo. Die.

" _ **See that?"**_ Fester said harshly, panting. _**"That's what I'm talking about! See the clusterfuck you're making me fix?! You're damn right you should be grateful for me. No one else could be capable of keeping them back just like you wanted."**_

"Like...like what I keep telling you, I know, Fester." I said softly, squeezing King Baby in gratitude before getting up. "And I can never say how grateful I am for you and King Baby. For all of you."

" _ **But they're not worth this, Michelangelo. Your stupid family and friends are not worth this pain when they don't give enough damn."**_

"Don't say that! I'm sure that they do care. In their own way but I can't really complain 'cause they do."

" _ **Of course they do."**_ A snort. _**"No wonder we turned out like this. No wonder the Curtain had to exist because you don't want dear old dad and bros finding out what a sad, damaged little turtle their so- called precious baby is. And it's their fault we turned out this way." F**_ ester then shifted to a high ptiched mocking voice. _**"You should focus, Mikey. You're so dumb, Mikey. Why can't you just shut up, Mikey? Who care about you, Mikey? Who cares about Mikey when there's Karai, April and now Mona?"**_

"That's not _—!"_ I curled back as if burnt. "They wouldn't understand, Fester."

" _ **So it's better this way? You're destroying us, Mikey. DESTROYING US. The rate we're going, Sniffles is right. We're better off dead. I just wish it were for something a little more worth it."**_

"Stop it, Fester!" To everyone's shock, that was King Baby. "We didn't survive the Neutrinos just so we can go back to thinking we're better off dead. And that's not how you're supposed to think! Didn't we push Cutter all the way back so we won't have to deal with that again?"

Fester made a face. _**"Well shit. Maybe he's close to getting out too. Better keep away from the ropes and sharp things then."**_

"Hey, we never went that far!" I scowled.

" _ **Whatever. If all you came for is to thank me, then you're welcome and get out. I have cracks to clear up and crazy shit to keep behind this Curtain because someone cares a little too much about their secrets."**_

I stared hard at Fester. "They can't know about this, Fester. They _can't_."

Because if they find out, they'll hate me. They'll be disgusted. They'll never want me again. And that. Now that will definitely destroy me. Far more than all the terrible things I've pushed back into that Curtain over the years. Far more than the reason Fester came to be in the first place.

I will take everything beyond the Curtain to the grave, no matter what Fester says.

I didn't need to say all of that for the guard of my nightmares to get it. He didn't have to say that he did either.

Instead, he waved his lone hand, and at once, the side to Imagination land parted. He then pointed, his face blank. _**"Beat it."**_

Not like I had a choice in the matter, because I was shimmering. This may be my mind, but outside the realm of Imagination land, Fester had more power over me unless I focused hard enough to overrule him.

Which right now I really can't. I'm _exhausted._

"It's OK, Mikey." King Baby smiled softly, squeezing my slowly disappearing hand. "I'll take care of things here. You get some rest. You still have training tomorrow."

I wanted to thank him, to thank both of them, for keeping me together smiling despite everything. But I couldn't speak. I was so tired and I just want to slip away. I could only squeeze King Baby's hand back and stare at Fester.

Fester only stared back until I felt myself completely taken away. But before everything turned black for me, I know I heard him say.

" _ **Baka."**_

I know. I wanted to say back. But all I can do is cry inside. I know.

* * *

 _ **Lie: I'm fine. I promise.**_

King Baby watched Mikey vanish completely before frowning at Fester. "That could have gone better."

" _ **Tell me that when you're the one on the wall, kid."**_ Fester scowled back. _**"And I meant what I said. The boss, for all his marshmallow heart wisdom, is tearing us apart. It's a slow build, but after the Neutrinos, we could be looking at a plunge."**_

"I thought you said you could take care of it."

" _ **If those idiots around him can behave themselves."**_ The thin turtle huffed. _**"I still think I should have shown up. What I'd give to shove it in their faces that they're not the wonderful big brothers they make themselves to be."**_

"Mikey wouldn't want that—"

" ** _Surprise, surprise_** _ **."**_

"But I think you're right." King Baby's answer was so unexpected Fester's eyes widened and his mouth dropped. "And wrong at the same time. Our bros—don't scowl at me, they're your brothers too—care about us, enough to believe that I can use my imagination to beat the Neutrinos out of us. I think given time, they, with Sensei and our friends, can understand and help us overcome what's beyond the Curtain. I felt it, that time they were here. They may not like some of the sides they've seen, but they love us, Fester."

Fester shook his head. _**"Bullshit. If they love us, then they will love all of us. Despite Oddball, Turflytle, Pizzadude and Anguard. Despite the shit I'm keeping behind this Curtain."**_

"I'd like to think they do. Deep down, Mikey wants to believe it too," said King Baby. "But for that to happen, they have to meet you. Because no way will Mikey spill anything on his own, unless you somehow disappear and let the Curtain fly open. Which is bad, very bad news for all of us."

" _ **And a waste of all my hard work."**_ Fester gave the diminutive turtle a searching glance. _**"I'm surprised you think me showing up and scaring the shells off those three would have been good. I thought you'd be all against it."**_

"It's a harsh necessity. If I think it's what's best for Mikey and for everyone."

" _ **You know, you're really freaky when you turn around and talk as if you're the oldest among all of us."**_

King Baby pouted. "I AM the oldest. Need I remind you all the time?"

" _ **Hard to remember when you act like such a wuss. Anyway, a wasted opportunity is wasted. No use fussing over that. Now this, this tattered piece of shit. This I can do something about."**_ Fester did a mock salute. _**"Toodles, brat. You know the way back."**_

King Baby sighed as Fester melted back into the red wall before a sad smile crossed his face. "Wasted opportunity indeed. But I wonder…"

* * *

 _ **Lie: But I promise if I feel that anything's wrong, I'll come straight to you.**_

" _Guys, I'm still worried."_

" _About Mikey? You heard him, Donnie. He said he was fine. And he looked fine too. Didn't you see him eat two boxes of pizza by himself?"_

" _I did, Raphael, thank you for pointing out the obvious. But…but I get this feeling, that something's off. That Mikey isn't really telling us everything."_

"… _Maybe he's just tired, Donnie. We all are."_

" _No, Leo, that's not it. I don't know if you notice it, but Mikey isn't really the type to show what's bothering him. It's been my problem with him for years. So when something's wrong with him to the point that I can tell that's he's lying straight to my face?"_

" _Aren't you exaggerating—?"_

" _Shut it Raph, this is serious! God, it's like you guys are acting that you don't care."_

" _Of course we do, Donnie—!"_

" _Don't you dare say that, Don! You know fucking well we'd kill for Mikey!"_

" _Then do you care enough to not sweep this under the rug? The Black Hole Generator, saving Sensei and the world is important to me. But so is my little brother who is hurting in front of me right now and isn't letting me do something about it!"_

"… _Is it that bad?"_

" _I think so. The Neutrinos may have done more damage to him than what Mikey's letting us know, and I…I don't want it to reach the point where it gets worse."_

"… _I think we need to talk to Fugitoid tomorrow morning."_

" _Fearless, why do I get the feeling we'll be getting into some nasty shit?"_

" _But if it's for Mikey, Raph, Leo?"_

"… _Then you bet I'm fucking in."_

" _We all will be."_

* * *

 **Glossary:**

 _Seizan:_ A traditional Japanese sitting with legs tucked under to support the upper body.

 _Baka:_ Idiot

 **Other Notes:**

So the episode that inspired this was cool, but I felt that it lacked something. Didn't tap into the potential it had. Angry Mikey was huge, which should have rang alarm bells in someone's head. But delving into that would have taken a lot of screen time and I understand the need to focus on the mission. Still, a little more depth would have been nice.

Obviously Fester and Sniffles (along with the other unseen shit behind Fester, like Cutter), are OCs. The Curtain is kind of an OS (Original Setting), based of what I've seen in the show.

Will there be a sequel to this? Maybe? Maybe not? But for now, I'll be leaving the end to your imagination. And as for what Oddball's (weird Mikey) lines in this fic, I'll leave it to you guys to figure out. It's not that hard, and they were pretty fun to write. *winkwink*

Cheers and don't forget to leave a review if you liked it.


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